Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians Explained

Group:	Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians
Total:	4,146 people living on the reservation
Total Ref:	^[1]
Popplace:	United States (California)
Rels:	traditional tribal religion, Christianity (Roman Catholicism and Protestantism)^[2]
Langs:	English, Cahuilla language^[3]
Related:	Cahuilla^[4]

The Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians is a federally recognized tribe of Cahuilla Indians, located in Imperial and Riverside counties in California.^{[5] [4]} Their autonym is Mau-Wal-Mah Su-Kutt Menyil,^[6] which means "among the palms, deer moon."^[7] in the Cahuilla language.

Torres Martinez Indian Reservation

The Torres Martinez Indian Reservation is a federal reservation in Imperial and Riverside Counties, with a total area of 24024acres.^[5] It was established in 1876^[8] and was named for the village of Toro and the Martinez Indian Agency.^[7] In 1905 as the Colorado River flowed into the area, most of the tribe packed their belongings and headed into the mountains as they were familiar with the reoccurring lake from their legends.^[9] Nearly half of the reservation was eventually flooded by the formation of the Salton Sea.^[10] In 1970, 42 of the 217 enrolled tribal members lived on the reservation.^[4] As of the 2010 Census the population was 5,594.^[11]

Government

The tribe's headquarters is located in Thermal, California.^[12] Their tribal administration is as follows:

• Tribal Chairman Thomas Tortez Jr.
• Vice-Chairman Joseph Mirelez
• Secretary Altrena Santillanes
• Treasurer Elena Loya
• Council Member Brandon Butcher
• Council Member Gary Resvaloso
• Council Member Proxy Desiree Franco^[13]

Economic development

The tribe owns and operates the Red Earth Casino in Salton City, California.^[14]

Cemetery

The tribe maintains a small (48 interments) cemetery on Martinez Road in Thermal.^[15]

See also

• Mission Indians

References

• Bean, Lowell John. "Cahuilla." Heizer, Robert F., volume ed. Handbook of North American Indians: California, Volume 8. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution, 1978. .
• Eargle, Jr., Dolan H. California Indian Country: The Land and the People. San Francisco: Tree Company Press, 1992. .
• Pritzker, Barry M. A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. .

Further reading

• Book: James, Harry Clebourne. The Cahuilla Indians. Morongo Indian Reservation. Malki Museum Press (Westernlore Press). 1960 . 1968 . 254156323. 60010491. B0007HDH7E.

External links

• Torres Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians, official website

Notes and References

1. http://library.sdsu.edu/guides/sub2.php?id=195&pg=195 "California Indians and Their Reservations."
2. Bean, 584-5
3. Eargle, 111
4. Bean, 585
5. http://infodome.sdsu.edu/research/guides/calindians/calinddictqs.shtml#t "California Indians and Their Reservations."
6. http://www.torresmartinez.org/ "Home."
7. Web site: Torres-Martinez Desert Band of Cahuilla. Gallery of Nations. Mid-America All-Indian Museum. 17 May 2010. dead . 2010-12-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20101223220846/http://www.theindiancenter.org/Museum/GalleryofNations/Torres-Martinez.htm.
8. Pritzker, 120
9. News: Arevalo . David . 2023-09-29 . Land of Extremes: The Salt Water Saga: A Waterway of Surprises . 2024-03-03 . Imperial Valley Press Online . en.
10. News: James. Ian. Roth. Sammy. 2017. Salton Sea: Two paths for long-term fixes at California's shrinking sea. February 8, 2021. The Desert Sun. en.
11. Web site: US Census Bureau 2010 Census Interactive Population Map. Website Services & Coordination. Staff. www.census.gov. 17 April 2018.
12. News: Dirmann. Tina. 2002-03-29. Tribe Impoverished by Salton Sea Gets Windfall. 2021-02-23. Los Angeles Times. en-US.
13. http://www.torresmartinez.org/Government/TribalCouncil/tabid/130/Default.aspx "Tribal Council."
14. http://500nations.com/casinos/caRedEarthCasino.asp "Red Earth Casino."
15. USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS)